The Killer Whale Who Changed the World

The Killer Whale Who Changed the World

Journalist, filmmaker, playwright, and author Mark Leiren-Young shares the fascinating and heartbreaking account of Moby Doll, the first publicly exhibited captive killer whale―a story that forever changed the way we see orcas and sparked the movement to save them.

Leiren-Young will share rare film footage of Moby Doll and other orcas, and discuss how the capture of Moby Doll led to the captivity and exhibition of other whales including Namu at the Seattle Aquarium and the notorious star of Blackfish, Tilicum. Moby Doll changed public perception of whales but also inspired a whole generation of scientists to learn more about how these creatures live and communicate in the wild. Because of Moby Doll, we stopped fearing “killers” and grew to love and respect “orcas.”